Socket for caster-pintles.



' UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIoE.

ADOLPH BALLENBERG, OF NEW YORK,- N. Y.

SOCKET FOR GASTER-PINTLES.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 4, 1916.

Application led December 17, 1915. Serial No. 67,355.

the purpose of receiving, retaining and acting as a bearing for the pintle of the caster.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive but reliable socket of this type wherein the caster pintle will be securely retained within the socket, but allowed to rotate with a minimum amount of friction.

Another object of this invention is to provide a socket of thistype in which the caster pintle is securely held and prevented from becoming dislodged and falling out when the article of furniture to which it is secured is lifted.

These and other objects are accomplished by my invention, a more particular description of which will appear below.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical sectional elevation of my improved socket with a caster pintle secured therein; and Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a portion of the socket.

Throughout the various views of the drawings, similar reference characters djesignate similar parts.

My improved caster socket consists of a tubular casing 1, the lower end of which is flanged at 2, and directly below this lianged portion 2 is a plate 3 preferably of hard, non-friction material as fiber, or the like, which plate is apertured at 4, so that the pintle 5 of the caster can pass through. The plate 3 and flange 2 are secured together by a circumferentially flanged plate 6. Secured to the casing 1 and on top of the plate 6 is a plate 7 having an upturned edge 8, which is serrated at 9, these serrations eX- tending into the leg of the furniture and holding the casing securely in the leg after the casing has been driven therein.

The upper end of the casing 1 is flanged as at 10, and secured in the casing below said flanges is a plate 11. A flat spring is also secured in the casing which spring has a pair of resilient side arms ,12 1n which are depressed portions 13. The upper ends of the sprlng arms are connected by a cross piece 14 preferably formed integral with the arms, which cross piece is secured in the casing 1, between the plate 11 and a plate or block l5 preferably of non-frictional material against which block the head 16a of the pintle bears and rotates.

The sides of the casing 1 are apertured as at 16 so that the arms 12 can spread outwardly and away from each other to allow the head 16a. of the pintle to pass the de-` pressed portions 13 formed in the arms. After the head 16a has passed these depressed portions and is in position as shown in Fig. l, the spring arms 12 spring back to thelr normal position as shown in Fig.. 1.

The ends 17 of the spring arms l2 are I .75", l splayed portlons enter apertures 18 in the splayed outwardly, as shown, and` these casing to prevent interference with the head Y of the caster pintle when entering the casing.

Casings or sleeves of this character have the purpose above set forth, but hzwe been so arranged that portions of the springs rsuch as their ends extended outside of the not outwardly, as has been the case with other articles of this type heretofore in use, wherein the ends generally were forced into the sides of the opening in the chair leg rendering the spring inoperative.

From the foregoing, it will be noted that I have provided a caster pintle socket in which the pintle is securely held against dropping out, although the same may be readily removed at any time desired by drawing on the pintle, the arms 12 expanding outwardly into the apertures 16 and allowing the head 16a to pass the depressed portions 13.

From the foregoing, it is obvious that my invention is not restricted to the precise ems heretofore been made containlng springs for bodiment shown, but is broad enough to cover all structures coming within the scope of the annexed claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A socket for caster pintles comprising a tubular casing, a spring having an arm secured in the casing adjacent its upper end, an inwardly extending projection formed in the spring arm, a recess in the casing adjacent the projection, the extremity of the spring arm being so conformed in conjunction with the casing that lateral and outward movement of the same may be had within the exterior limits of the casing.

2. A socket for caster pintles comprising a tubular casing, a plurality of oppositely disposed spring arms in the casing, and a cross piece connecting them together adjacent the upper end of the easing, inwardly extending projections formed in the spring arms, recesses in the casing adjacent the projections, the extremities of the spring arms being so conformed in conjunction with the casing that lateral and outward movement of the same may be had within the exterior limits of the casing.

3. A Socket for caster pintles comprising a tubular casing, a spring having an arm secured within and adjacent the upper portion of the casing, said spring arm having an inward projection and extending downward along the inner surface of the casing, a recess in the wall of the casing adjacent said projection for allowing outer and lateral movement of the projection, and a recess in the casing adjacent the end of the spring arm for allowing lateral and outer movement of the spring arm end. *l

4. A socket for caster pintles comprising a casing, a spring contained within said casing for holding a caster pintle, openings in the side Walls of the casing for allowing an expansion or spread of the springs and plates for holding the upper end of the spring within the casing.

5. A socket for caster pintles comprising ycasing and a. casing. a spring contained within said casing for holding a caster pintle therein, openings in the side walls of the casings for allowing an expansion or spread ot' the spring and a block of non-friction material secured in the head of the casing between the upper portion ot' the spring and the head of the caster pintle.

6. A socket for caster pintles comprising a casing, a spring contained thereinl said spring having a pair of resilient side arms connected at their tops h v a cross member, apertures in thc sides of the casingfor allowing an expansion or spread of said spring arms, and a blockot' non-friction material secured in the head of the casing between the cross member of the spring arms and the head of the caster pintle.

7. A socket for caster pintles comprising a. casing, a spring contained therein, said spring having a pair of resilient side arms connected at their tops by an integrally formed cross member, depressions in said side arms for engaging a caster pintlebelow its head, openings in the side walls of the casing for allowing a, spread or expansion of theresilient arms, and a block of nonfriction material secured in the head of the casing between the cross member of the spring arms and the head of the caster pintle and forming a bearing for said head.

8. i socket for caster pintles comprising a casing, a spring contained within the having a pair of resilient side arms, having depressions therein to engage a caster pintleV below its head, openingsY in the side wall of the casing, one pair of openings for allowing an expansion or spread of the arms, another pair of openings into which splayed ends of the arms extend, a cross member for the upper ends of the resilient arms and a block of non-frictional material secured in the head of said casing and below said cross member.

Signed at the city, county and State of New York, this 16th day of December, 1915.

K ADOLPH BALLENBERG. 

